Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-09-09
Ov or 100 People Burned in All English
Opera House.

LONDON, Sept. 5.--A theater at Exeter took fire
this evening during a performance of ".Romany
Rye" The occupants OF the pit after all awful
struggle escaped, but many of them were greatly
injured. There was only one exit from the gal.
lery, and the crush there was terrific. Scores
were trodden under foot and sutfocated. \ fire
escape was brought to window, and mnny ill.,
side were rescued. Sixty corpses have been re-
moved. The injured survivors wcr. sent to u
hospital. The mortality is estimated at one
hundred. The structure burned WAS the Theatre
Royal. 1t was built after the latest designs and
was deliberately fitted being considered one of
the prctticst in the Kingdom. There was full
house tonight. and everything was all right until
the end of the third act at 1880, when u drop
scene fell and III n moment the whole stage was
mass Of fire. wild panic ensuod. The occ,.
pants of the stage, pit and dress circle escaped
after an awful crushing, many being badly
bruised. The actors and actresses We're i'll their
dressing rooms when the fire began and q II Is.
capped. The fire originated III the flies and spread
rapidly, filling the theatcr with dense smoke
The occupants Of the upper gallery rushed to the
window, screaming frnntically. Many jumped
from the windows and were injured. Others
were rescued with the aid of ladders from the
verandas. The fire blazed iiercely lighting up
the whole city. People were soon focking to
the scene by thousands. inquiriny for friends
The scene inside the theater when the fir: broke
out was All awful one Some men iMplored thu.
audience to keep cool, but it was impossible t.,
check
TIE FRANTIC RUSH.
The thcater hose was brought into use in a few
minutes, but the water had little effect on the
flames. The actors and actresses were taken
from the windows with ladders. They lost ev-
erything except what they wore at the time. Cp
to the present time 1870 bodies have been recover
ed. Thirty injured survivors have been taken
to the hospitals. Tho fire burned throughout
the night The search for bodies proceeds slow
~. In many cases every shred OF clothing is
burned off and the bodies look black and raw.
There are various reports to origin of ihc fire
It Is only certain that the flames broke out in tn.
scene Shifter's department. Those who cscaped
say the special exit was promptly opened. The
fire brigade arrived five minutes after the break
ing ont of the flames, and the efforts of the fire
mcn were without effect There were several
thrilling rcscueS. The majority of the victims
were men and boys. About thirty women were
burned. When the fire started the drop scene
was lowered to prevent draught. Some Of he
actors opened Il door to escape, causing tho fire
to burst through the drop scene and to ignite the
gallery. The flames overlook the people who
were wcdged in an inmovable mass aud roasted
them to death. Many who were rescued alive
died soon after being brought out of the burning
building. The occupants of the dress circle rs-
capped without serious harm. The fire is under
control Only the walls of the structure are
standing. People distracted with anxiety are
standing about the streets in the neishborhoo,l
of the theatre III search of friends who attended
the performance. The hospitals are brsiegel hy
anxious inquiries for friends Twenty badly
burned persons who were admitted to hospitals
died Il few moments after they were received.